episode_0164

“… No, right?”

I just uttered a simple word without subject or object.

When I gently open my eyes, I see a black sky. A memory from Africa came to mind and I flinched for a moment, but then I immediately got up and checked my surroundings.

On a dark night, everything was quiet and only the sound of insects could be heard occasionally.

I could barely shake my stomach at that.

First of all, the conclusion was that I really had an accident and was lying in a hospital, on the verge of death, and had a final delusion.

And when I looked up at the night sky, I saw a bright moon coming out of the clouds and numerous stars.

That means, it is true that I have returned to the world I originally came from.

The original world, that is, the world I believed to be before I came here, has long since disappeared from the stars in the night sky due to exhaust smoke and city lights even at night.

Actually, it’s similar here, but the stars are clearly visible thanks to my eyesight as a Dragonian.

“Anyway, it’s true that I came back safely. Thank goodness.”

When I clenched my fist, red scales caught my eye. For some reason, it seemed like my vision wasn’t what it used to be.

Even though I didn’t decide to become a complete god, a certain amount of absorbed divine power was flowing through my body.

I frowned for a moment as I felt an energy that did not belong to me surround my body.

“Now that I think about it, where is this place?”

Leaving behind the songs the night bugs were singing at the concert hall under the sky, I quickly transformed into a human and started looking around.

*

‘this.’

I clicked my tongue as I stood in front of the counter in a small electronics store and checked the television.

I wandered around looking for people and eventually arrived at a small village. I ended up asking the people I met there and roughly figured out the current situation.

Where I stand is Africa. We returned to the place where the final battle ended.

And it seems like about 5 years have passed since I left.

This area, which had been completely destroyed by the dark fog, seemed to be being developed with people returning after the fall of the demons, or rather the guardians who served the vain gods.

When I returned, it was close to midnight, so all the stores were already locked and I was frowning in front of the television that was hanging on the shelf of a dark electronics store to display products.

─Is Northmund alive or dead? Northmund disappeared after going to Africa. Officials completely denied that fact.

─ Concerns that the Elm Talent Development Academy is becoming an independent warlord. Each country is saddened by this fact and promises to take action.

─The European Union seizes land rights for redevelopment in Africa. Provisional governments in Africa are extremely upset by this fact.

─Taesung Group trying to dominate people with special abilities. The heir is Jang A-hyeon, Taeseong’s successor.

─More intelligently mutated monsters. They begin to blend into human society in a different way than before. Experts are concerned that it will be more fatal than the Gate incident.

After watching the news channel that was on for about an hour, I thought that the current issue could be summarized in this way.

‘Eh?’

Haven’t all the monsters been cleared out? Even though he killed Alexstras and ultimately brought down the god.

“Wait there.”

I hear a voice calling me from behind, so I turn my head and see a middle-aged man who appears to be a police officer pointing a gun at me.

“Who are you? Reveal your identity.”

“… Is there a problem. I didn’t do anything.”

It’s not like I committed a crime and am being misunderstood as a felon, so where did the idea of pointing a gun come from?

Even the imposing and famous American police are not this reckless.

“A report just came in. They said he was wearing a strange outfit and asking strange things.”

“Can’t you ask? It’s not like I did anything strange.”

“Ha, this person came to Africa without knowing the current circumstances? And you’re lost and don’t even know the current year? I’m sure it’s a monster.”

“No, no. First, put down your gun.”

Now that I think about it, there was a person walking around at night in this city, so I asked various questions as I had no information. I didn’t know that it would arouse suspicion and lead to a report to the police.

“Suspect found, I will support Officer Carter.”

As I was hesitating, feeling a bit dumbfounded, another police car approached and two more people got out. Their attire was similar to that of the person pointing a pistol at me, but the weapons each held in their hands were vicious.

Each had a machine gun. Judging by the magical power felt from the gun, it appears to be a magic bullet gun.

Come to think of it, I can feel magical power in the pistol held by this person called Officer Carter.

“It’s a misunderstanding. First, put down your gun. This is not a story to tell here, so I will go to the police station and explain.”

I thought about subduing everyone here, but I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it, and looking at the news, it looks like the relationship between the Academy and countries around the world has deteriorated considerably.

In such a situation, it didn’t seem like a good idea to reveal that I was Northmund. Of course, I will have to reveal it someday, but the first thing to do is to inform the school of my return.

“Uh… .”

They probably thought I would rebel, but just as their finger on the trigger was about to tighten, the reaction they got back wasn’t what they expected.

Embarrassment spreads among them as they prepare for battle, and they turn to look at each other.

As I quietly pass by the dumbfounded people and approach the back seat of the police car where the officers were riding and try to open the door, I feel a gun being pointed at the back of my head again.

“… Why do you keep doing this?”

“This is an intention to stab you in the middle, right? Monster.”

“I told you it wasn’t a monster. If in doubt, put handcuffs on him. I too am in trouble because I am in this situation.”

I can see him becoming even more agitated as I snatch the handcuffs from Officer Carter’s waist and place them on my own wrists.

“Please stop now. I won’t resist, so let’s go to the police station.”

And when I opened the back seat and threw myself into the old seat, the police officers who were looking at each other’s faces hesitated for a moment and followed me in.

“If you try even a foolish trick, your head will be blown off.”

Although I gave it a bad name for no reason.

*

“… Well, that’s right.”

When we arrived at the police station and had a quick chat, the police officers became very polite.

“But I don’t think I’ve ever heard that Li Jiyuan looks like this. Well, I’m not good at distinguishing Asian faces, but I’m actually mixed race… No, sorry. I think you have an exotic appearance rather than being very Asian.”

“You know. It is said that if you practice mana, your appearance will gradually change. And I told you that I was captured by monsters in the past. He was captured at the monsters’ base and was suddenly liberated at some point. So, I didn’t know the current situation in the village I first arrived in, so I just asked.”

“Sorry, sorry. How can you treat a famous person with special abilities like this?”

A middle-aged man who appears to be the head of the police station is sweating profusely and bowing his head.

The officers who arrested me placed me in a similar interrogation room closed with a thick iron door and began interrogating me.

Who are you, are you not a monster, why did you come here, etc.

And when I did a test to detect the dark mana that monsters had, I felt quite happy when I saw the expressions of the monsters changing through the tempered glass.

Now that I think about it, I can be really mischievous too. No matter how many times I used the tester, it didn’t detect anything, so it seemed like the rumbling sound could be heard all the way to the interrogation room.

And this is what happened in the end.

“No, it’s okay. They did it in accordance with the procedure and were not offended, so you don’t have to worry about it.”

“Oh, no, sorry. The subordinates who did not know the person with the second name of Dragon Assistant are the ones who will kill him.”

Knock knock. As I tapped my fingers on the table and spoke, the chief trembled once again.

My hand on the table was turned into the Dragonian’s hand that had released the polymorph, and I think that was enough to prove it.

Of course, there was room for someone with a good eye to tackle. Li Jiyuan’s dragon bird is characterized by green scales and long claws, but my hands have red scales and thick, short nails rather than long.

The nails are still sharp, but they have the advantage of not stabbing the palms even when clenched into fists.

But not everyone here had time to pay attention to that singularity.

How could anyone think otherwise when faced with a person who was not detected by the dark mana test and revealed himself as Li Jiyuan and brought out the dragon’s hand?

Five years have passed, and although Han Se-jun has already died and disappeared for a long time, the title of the first awakened person is not going anywhere.

And I think he was officially listed as missing rather than dead. I guess the Academy didn’t reveal that he betrayed him in the end and lost his head.

“Please contact the academy first. I would like to let the Academy know that I am back.”

“Uh, uh, that’s… .”

“Why are you doing that? Oh, you’re talking about Professor Northmund? I also saw that on TV news earlier. The professor is missing. I know that because I heard it.”

“No, that’s me… If you wish to contact the Academy now, you must first obtain permission from the World Management Bureau.”

“Yes? Don’t you have a direct line? I know the number. Just press the shop button twice and then dial 1635-8835990.”

“No, that’s not it, that’s… .”

“Are you ignoring me? Huh, well. I never thought Li Jiyuan would be treated like this. Oh, that’s it. I do it myself.”

“No, no, sorry. Hey William! Contact me right away.”

It was quite fun. You’re making fun of people who misunderstand you.

It seemed like they were going through an uproar because of the situation, as they said they were under pressure from all directions due to the poor relationship between the Academy and each country.

Still, what can they do in this situation? The person in question is right in front of you and is trying to get you to contact the academy.

The Academy will know that Li Jiyuan’s head was blown off by Han Sejun, and if they hear that Li Jiyuan suddenly came back to life, they will send personnel to investigate.

And then you can contact them and go back.

“Thank you. But since I was just released, I don’t know what’s going on in the world. Could you please tell me what the story about the return of the monsters is? I understand that they were all wiped out in Africa.”

“Oh, that’s it.”

The chief, who was sweating profusely, suddenly started responding to my words as if he had caught a good case.

As soon as the topic was brought up, they started chatting, as if they were very happy.

“Of course, most of the monsters were subdued by Lord Northmund, but some of the monsters that survived escaped to the human world and are active in hiding in society. They are especially numerous in Africa, where monsters are rampant on a large scale.”

Eh? Monsters?

“That’s strange. Aren’t monsters without intelligence? I knew that the magic stone was like a killing machine with no ego as its energy source.”

“Yes, it is just as Li Jiyuan said. However, it was like that until the past. Now the monsters have become intelligent. ah! Come to think of it, there is a monster captured at our police station too. Would you like to take a look?”

“Yes? There is? Can I see it?”

“Of course. Now, please follow me. Hammond! Lee is going downstairs. Get ready!”

When I think about it, it was strange. From the moment I entered the police station, I had a feeling that there was something down here.

It was a feeling that could not be explained in one word, a feeling that was both homogeneous and somehow heterogeneous.

I quietly follow him past the thick, locked iron door and step onto the stairs leading downstairs.

As I walked down the stairs, step by step, I became aware of the identity of that energy, and I was left gaping at its identity.

“This is divine power?”

“Yes, Li Jiyuan. This is the monster that disguised itself as a human… yes? What did you say?”

There was no time to reply to the chief’s words. I walked over to the thick bars and pushed my face into them.

“You… great being. iced coffee! Being of the entire universe, have you come back?”

A boy lying in solitary confinement. Her clothes were dirty and her hair was a mess, but her hair color, which was like thread made from melted gold, had not lost its shine.

When the boy saw me approaching, he suddenly got angry, stood up, knelt down and offered his own obeisance to me.

“Long since the universe lost its light, our Guardians have waited for your return. Great being. It’s been a long time since I lost my self and wandered in the darkness for eons. I felt you coming back. At some point, your energy came in and brought us back to our senses. iced coffee! Great being! Your sons and daughters bless your return.”

“What on earth is this?”

The chief opens his mouth. And the behavior of this boy, who was behaving like Archie Ochetuji, was enough to embarrass me.

When I think about the days I have spent so far, I get a sense of the cause.

‘Because I let that energy flow without becoming a complete god.’

Northmund, a human, or rather a dragon, and Northmund after becoming a god will be fundamentally different beings. Thinking like that, instead of completely accepting the divine power,

In order to rebuild this world, the remaining divine power was released into the world.

The results were good. The world that was collapsing returned to its original place by my will and was able to escape the countdown to destruction.

However, did the divine power that permeated the world not disappear but flow into the remaining monsters and return them to reason?

It was an unexpected result.

Come to think of it, the beings we called monsters are beings whose egos have degenerated over the long period of time since God fell asleep.

As their divine power returned, their egos seemed to be coming back as well.

“Li Jiyuan. No, you too!”

“Damn.”

The officer, who misunderstood what was going on considering the current situation, pulled out a pistol and struck the man in the neck, knocking him out.

“Uh, huh?”

When I saw that the chief, unable to grasp the situation, froze as he looked at me, I had no choice but to smooth my throbbing hair.